


walls cave in

by cathect



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, Here's Me Doing The Writers' Job For Them, Love Confessions, M/M, Missing Scene, Set During 8x01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 17:39:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17125820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathect/pseuds/cathect
Summary: -For a while, they sit in silence, just looking ahead. It reminds Keith of all those days at the Garrison before Kerberos. When he and Shiro would race each other through the desert, only stopping to watch the sunset together before the challenge of a rematch drew them back onto their bikes. Maybe that’s why this is where he wanted to be tonight, their last night on Earth: because it reminds him of the only time he ever felt at home.Because it reminds him of Shiro.-or, the missing scene from 8x01 that we deserved.





	walls cave in

**Author's Note:**

> hi, okay. so i meant to write this like a week ago, when season eight premiered, because i had the idea as soon as i watched 8x01. but, as per usual, i slacked off and dicked around until this was finally born. this took me way too long to write, considering it's only a thousand or so words.
> 
> anyway, here's the scene we deserved (and hopefully the first of many "missing scenes" fics i write for this season!).
> 
> big thank you to sarah for beta'ing!

“I figured I’d find you here.”   
  
Keith looks up to see Shiro standing over him, the setting sun painting his face the same orange-purple-pink color as the sky. “Hey,” he says softly.   
  
Shiro smiles. “Hey.” He glances at the empty spot on Black to Keith’s right. “Mind if I join you?”   
  
“Go for it,” Keith replies. The space on the black lion’s muzzle is huge, but Shiro sits less than a foot away, and Keith doesn’t even mind.   
  
Kosmo immediately rises to his feet and walks over to greet Shiro. He nuzzles his nose into Shiro’s hand until Shiro gets the hint and scratches behind the wolf’s ears. Kosmo lets out a pleased little snuff; he plops down next to Shiro and lays his head on his thigh. Keith feels his heart flutter at the sight, but tears his eyes away in favor of turning towards the sky again.   
  
For a while, they sit in silence, just looking ahead. It reminds Keith of all those days at the Garrison before Kerberos. When he and Shiro would race each other through the desert, only stopping to watch the sunset together before the challenge of a rematch drew them back onto their bikes. Maybe that’s why this is where he wanted to be tonight, their last night on Earth: because it reminds him of the only time he ever felt at home.

Because it reminds him of Shiro.

His ears go pink at that, and he clears his throat. He turns with the intention of speaking, but the words die on his tongue when he catches sight of Shiro. He’s looking down at Kosmo with a little smile on his face, stroking his human thumb over the light blue fur at the top of the wolf’s head. Kosmo has flopped completely onto his side now, and he gazes up at Shiro with big eyes.

“He must really like you,” Keith says nonsensically. It clearly doesn’t need to be said after all this time; even Kosmo’s responding huff sort of feels like he’s being judged. Shiro laughs all the same. “I mean— he likes all of you, but I’ve never seen him like that.”

“Maybe he’s just a good judge of character.” Shiro scratches under Kosmo’s chin a little and one of Kosmo’s back legs goes wild. Shiro beams at Keith.

If Keith’s heart was fluttering before, it’s absolutely pounding out of his chest now. “Yeah, maybe.” The moment stretches out, warm and sweet like honey, and only seems to stop when Shiro takes a loud, shaky breath.

“Listen, Keith,” he says. “I came to find you because I wanted to talk to you. About something really important.”

Keith turns his back on the sunset completely now in favor of facing his friend. He plants one foot on the ground and rests his arm across his knee in a way he hopes looks casual and not like he’s freaking out inside, wondering what could be so important that Shiro is bringing it up now. He waits with bated breath, but Shiro doesn’t continue. He looks over Keith’s shoulder like he can’t quite meet his eyes.

“Shiro?” Keith asks gently.

Shiro blinks and focuses back in on Keith. “Sorry,” he says. “I was just— this is something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while, and I’m trying to figure out how to say it right.”

Keith’s whole body goes tense with all the effort it takes not to ask  _ say what right? _

“Starting tomorrow, everything is going to change.” Shiro’s looking at the horizon again. “Either we’re going to win this war or we’re going to lose it. But, no matter what, nothing will be the same once it’s over. And… I may never get the chance to say this again after tonight.”

Keith can’t help himself. “Then say it,” he says. “Please.”

“I—” Shiro’s voice catches in the back of his throat and he hesitates. For a moment, it looks like he might not finish his thought at all.

“Please,” Keith says again, softer this time.

Shiro reaches for Keith’s hand the same moment he speaks. “I love you, Keith. I’m  _ in  _ love with you.” His fingers wrap around Keith’s and squeeze. “I should have told you a long time ago, I just— I kept waiting for the right time.” Shiro gives a small, only slightly-strangled laugh. “But, I guess time has officially run out, hasn’t it?”

Keith nods. “Yeah, it kind of has,” he says. His brain is running a marathon trying to catch up and process the information he’s been given, leaving him floundering for a response in its absence.

“Obviously, I’m not expecting you to feel the same.” Shiro looks down at Kosmo again, like he’s distracting himself. “In fact, I’m not expecting anything at all. I just knew that I would rather make a fool of myself than risk never being able to tell you.” He shifts like he’s going to take his hand back, but Keith holds on tight.

“Shiro,” he breathes. “You’re not making a fool of yourself.”

Shiro looks up and, between one moment and the next, Keith has closed the distance between them. The kiss is soft and sweet, even when Keith tilts his head and opens his mouth with a sigh. Even when Shiro lets go of his hand to wind his own in Keith’s hair instead, it feels almost delicate, precious. If a kiss could be made of something, Keith thinks this one would be made of gold.

Kosmo snorts between them, clearly displeased, and they break apart laughing.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Keith says, not sounding very sorry at all. “Were you feeling neglected?” Kosmo licks at his hand in response, and Keith rolls his eyes.

When he looks up at Shiro, the other man is smiling at him, and Keith can’t help but lean in to steal another kiss. This one is quick and light but no less incredible than the first.

“I love you too,” Keith whispers against the corner of Shiro’s mouth before he presses his lips there.

They settle, eventually, with Keith laying against Shiro’s arm and Kosmo nestled between the two of them. The sun has disappeared behind the horizon, and stars peek through the inky-blue sky. Shiro was right, time really is up; in just a few short hours, they’ll be loading into the Atlas, hurtling towards an unpredictable future.

But, with Shiro by his side, Keith is pretty sure it’ll all be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> drop me a comment letting me know what you think!
> 
> follow me on tumblr @devilstrip !


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